Tres Leches Cake

3.67 from 6 votes

This Tres Leches Cake is a light and airy sponge soaked in three milks and topped with fluffy whipped cream. Moist, flavorful, and perfect for birthdays or special occasions.

Prep Time25

Cook Time35

Soak Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Servings:

Calories: 449kcal

Author: Catherine McCord

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-oz can evaporated milk
1 pint plus 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar beating until very light in color.
Add the whole milk and vanilla, beating until just combined.
Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture, and stir gently to combine.
In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Add 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until the whites are stiff but not dry.
Gently fold the egg whites into the previous mixture until just combined. Do not over mix.
Spread batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
Bake 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
When the cake is cool, invert it onto a platter and poke holes in the surface with the tines of a fork.
In a bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1/4 cup heavy cream.
Slowly douse the cake with the milk mixture, getting it all around the edges and evenly coating the surface.
Allow the cake to sit and absorb the liquid for at least 30 minutes up to overnight in the refrigerator.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 1 pint heavy cream with the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar until thick and fluffy.
Spread the whipped cream all over the top and sides of the cake.
Top with sliced strawberries or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and serve.

Notes

* This recipe is from Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier.

Tips:

Let it soak: Give the cake plenty of time to absorb the milk mixture. At least 30 minutes is essential, but chilling it longer or overnight will make it even more flavorful and moist.
Fold, don't stir: When incorporating the whipped egg whites into the batter, fold gently. Overmixing can deflate the batter and make the cake dense instead of light and airy.
Storage: Tres leches can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. For best flavor and texture, I'd enjoy it within the first 2-3 days, since the whipped cream topping can start to soften and the cake may become overly saturated if left longer.
Freezing Tres Leches Cake: Freeze the baked cake before adding the milk mixture. When ready to serve, thaw it in the fridge, then pour the three-milk mixture over the cake and finish with the whipped cream topping.

Nutrition